Happiness by definition according to Merriam-Webster dictionary is:  a state of well-being and contentment

How often do we put conditions on Happiness?  I’ll be happy when I find a love partner, when I have my debt paid off, when I own (“______”), when I lose the weight.  Interesting that we choose to deprive ourselves of something that’s abundantly available to us for free and at a blink of an eye.  When we allow ourselves to enjoy this free and infinitely abundant gift the lens through which we view the world and our lives shifts to one coloured with hope and joy.

Stephen Covey shared with us that “10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane may be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%! How? By your reaction. You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction. You can control how you react!” (http://ahkong.net/applying-stephen-coveys-9010-principle-in-our-daily-lives/)

Life happens that a fact.  The quality of each “happening” can be fun, interesting and empowering or it can be a drag.   In life a shot arrow, a missed opportunity and a spoken word are three things you will never get back.  Each moment in your life is an opportunity to exercise choice and to create the most amazing and colourful painting as your legacy.  For every happy heart there is a ripple effect of love  that encourages, nourishes and supports someone who is struggling and it costs you nothing.  Instead it nourishes your soul and enriches your life in each moment.

It’s never too late and the canvas awaits your brush….Which colours and images will you choose to paint on that canvas?

Thank you to each of you the provided feedback about my blog post about living in the choice perspective.  It’s been an empowering way of living for me and I wanted to share it with others beyond my client base.  You have encouraged me to continue writing and so I am committing to a weekly article at the very least from today onward.

To those seeking any upgrades to my RSS or all of other technical upsides/downsides of blogs, I ask for your patience as this I am in the processing of finding someone to help me improve these features within my website.

Lisa

“Live consciously with Passion and Purpose”

I recently watched the movie Missrepresentation. It opened my eyes to the world from which I am incredibly sheltered.  I have taken the pledge on the Missrepresentation.org site and am putting into action the simplest actions like discerning between gossip and sharing for higher purpose.  If it’s gossip, reframing the conversation to redirect it into the virtues of the person being discussed and sharing my new perspective on the detrimental effect of negative thoughts and actions for everyone.

We are here for but a blink in time but the ripple effect of our actions, thoughts and words shift experience for everyone today and forever.

Information is only useful when shared collectively, therefore I am posting the information I received from Missrepresentation in an email last week.

Happy Valentine’s day….how will you nourish your mind, body and soul?  You deserve your best love.

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It’s February, and we are sticking to our New Year’s resolution to Get Healthy by taking a closer look at how we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Next week Americans will spend billions of dollars in the name of love ($3.4 billion on dinner alone!), so this week’s action is about being aware of exactly what we’re spending and consuming on February 14th.

Whether you’re going on a date, hitting the town with some friends, or giving cards to your kids, here are some alternative suggestions for V-Day 2012:

1. Write yourself a Valentine. List the things you like about yourself in your personal valentine. And, when you write others cards, remember to avoid complimenting physical appearance and instead focus on their talents, generosity, unique personality, and/or intelligence.
2. Boycott Teleflora. This floral company’s Super Bowl ad was especially demeaning, suggesting that women could easily be bought with a bouquet of roses. We’re #notbuyingit and neither are our followers. We’ve joined forces with consumers across North America to flood the company’s inbox with letters. If you are buying flowers, take your business elsewhere and let Teleflora know! Send your own letter of complaint here: service@teleflora.com
3. Dinner and a movie? Watch something directed by a woman. If you’re going out to the theater, pick something written or directed by a woman, like The Iron Lady or Pariah. If you’re renting, consider an empowering classic like Thelma and Louise, or an educational and entertaining documentary like Born into Brothels. While you’re at it, why not sign-up to buy the Miss Representation DVD and get a head start on Mother’s or Father’s Day?

Most importantly, by challenging the norms embedded in Valentine’s Day this year, we are making the holiday more accessible and inclusive to all. Our individual acts of consciousness add up to a healthier society. So have fun this week, and remember to spread the love!

Warmly,

The MissRepresentation.org team

Giving yourself permission to choose how you will spend your time is just as important as how you will spend your money, perhaps it has even greater value.  How many times have we prepared for bed and wondered, where did the day go?  More succinctly, where did my life go?

What if you could create a sense of fulfillment in your daily life by shifting those three questions to one statement?  For one day consciously replace the words “I have to”, “I should” or “I’ve got to” with the words “I choose to…”. Empowering yourself with choice is liberating and shifts the heavy feeling of the infamous “To Do Lists” into conscious living.

When you take responsibility for your own life it empowers you with choice that often creates a new flavor to the must do’s and should do’s.  They are not a burdensome backpack that weighs you down on our journey. Rather you begin to make choices to create the life we want to live.  You can even apply this to “the life you are dealt” if that’s your reality right now.  Now that’s empowering!

Staying in the perspective that you chose the action, word or thought to create the circumstance is a gift because you become conscious of your freedom to choose a new one that fulfills you.

It’s a fact of life that there are tasks that we need to do to avoid unfavorable or fearful consequences but we always have a choice.  Living from choice offers a shackle free perspective on life.

What’s available if you gave yourself ten minutes in the morning to put together your list of “I choose to’s”? Is it possible that the mundane tasks may take on a new colour as you take responsibility for the life you are living.

You can always choose not to but how’s that working for you so far?